I don't even know what it was like. I remember the anesthesiologist telling me "ok, we're about to take off" and then in an instant, I woke up writhing in pain from the gas they use to blow you up in order to move around and cut out the gall bladder. This was like, 3 or 4 hours later. And there is nothing in that space time for me. I wouldn't know if the sleep was good or not.
About 10 years ago, I had a Nissen fundiplication for acid reflux. Should have done it sooner, but that's another story.
They do (or did 10 years ago) about a half dozen small incisions in a rough semi-circle around the navel. Spaced from the point of one hip, up to just below rib cage, and back to the other hip point. Then they pump in CO2 in so they can work around inside. Not in the gut, in the abdominal cavity. IOW, to be blunt, you can't poot it out.
They say they pump it all back out, but that's about impossible. When they sew up the incisions, the leftover CO2 is trapped. It has to gradually work its way slowly up through the skin. And yes, it hurts a lot. In my case, far more than the incisions.
The incisions felt like I'd done a few too many sit-ups. A little bit sore, but no big deal at all. Far worse was the eye-popping pain under my left collarbone -- the leftover CO2 making its all-too-gradual way out.
Fortunately, my sister had an abdominal surgery not long before, and had warned me. Otherwise, I'd have been worried.
Surgery is not to be taken lightly.